Hack is hit back

Nightmare cabbie loses license for slap attack

A SLAP-HAPPY hack with a history of lashing out at fares has finally been curbed.

Taxi driver Obiozor Anazonwu — who has an extensive track record of berating passengers and ignoring regulations — lost his license for slapping a customer.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission yanked the hack’s license and fined him $2,500 for an outburst last Oct. 30 at First Ave. and 75th St.

Anazonwu (inset) verbally harassed and slapped a passenger to keep him from photographing the cabbie’s license after the two got in a spat over when to start the meter, an administrative law judge said.

The peeved passenger argued that Anazonwu was trying to overcharge him by waiting for a light to turn red just as the ride was set to begin, according to April 16 testimony at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.

“Don’t expect me to pay for (your) waiting . . . spinning the meter,” said the passenger, who wasn’t named in public documents.

Anazonwu abruptly put the car in park, got out, and opened the back door, according to the rider.

“Get out, you drug dealer!” he bellowed, the passenger said.

At that point, the passenger — headed to a hospital for a medical procedure — said he tried to take a photo of Anazonwu’s license, but the cabbie slapped his arm, knocking a cell phone from his hand.

Anazonwu denied attacking the man, and said he was just trying get the rider to leave the cab. The hack also accused the customer of calling him a “n----r” who should “go back to Africa.”

But administrative law judge Kevin Casey didn’t buy the cabbie’s tale.

“If the (passenger) had said and done those things, it is unlikely that he would draw attention to himself by filing a complaint, especially where he suffered no substantial harm and hailed another taxicab shortly afterwards,” Casey ruled.

He also noted it was “unlikely” Anazonwu “would remain completely in control and not have raised his voice” after such derogatory comments were made.

Casey did note that the slap was “relatively minor” — and the incident was touched off by the passenger’s mistaken accusation that he was being overcharged.

“But those considerations are outweighed by aggravating factors,” Case said. “(The TLC) strictly forbids the use of any force or threatened use of force by licensees, who are held to a higher standard of behavior.”

Casey also noted Anazonwu’s “extensive disciplinary history,” which he called “particularly disturbing” — including a December 2013 dustup in which Anazonwu threatened to punch a passenger in the face as the two squabbled over a fare, records show.

According to records, Anazonwu has racked up 20 taxi license suspensions since 2009, many for clerical issues like ducking routine inspections and a drug test.

But he’s also been repeatedly charged and disciplined for anger mismanagement — including jumping out of his cab to threaten passengers.

Another confrontation occurred in February 2016, when he stormed out of his taxi and repeatedly yelled at another driver and his family.

And in March 2016, he jumped from his cab to scream racially charged remarks at a potential customer who accused Anazonwu of purposely ducking his hail.

“Prior penalties for similar conduct, where (Anazonwu) angrily confronted others, have not deterred him,” Casey ruled.

“(Anazonwu) offered no evidence to show that he has taken any steps to address his apparent problems with anger management,” the judge said.